Nearly Half of Pennsylvania Residents Oppose Data Centers. Lawmakers are Welcoming Them Anyway

Pennsylvania state legislators are preparing to welcome data centers into the state, reports Kate Huangpu for Spotlight PA, even though a recent poll found that 42 percent of residents do not want one in or near their community. “Some legislation focuses on speeding up the permitting process, which often requires government permission to excavate and dig under land, manage stormwater drainage, mitigate air pollution, and begin construction.” Other bills address concerns about energy use and are aimed at ensuring data center operators pay their fair share and that their power usage doesn’t impact consumer costs. Other legislative proposals would incentivize clean energy use or mandate meetings with local officials. 

Supporters of data centers say companies like Amazon Web Services and Blackstone will bring tens of billions of dollars in investments and hundreds of permanent jobs to the state. Other lawmakers say the state needs to get ahead and create a regulatory framework to prioritize environmental safety and address other concerns.